Expert Systems in Orthodontic Clinical Diagnosis

Computer-aided diagnosis of orthodontic anomalies is of particular interest in the screening of potential patients.

General practitioners and public dental health workers would find considerable benefit in a reliable automated system capable of reflecting the clinical assessments of orthodontists. This study investigates the application of an expert system (Xpert Rule™) to the assessment of treatment need using thirteen traits of malocclusion to construct a knowledge base. Decision trees were generated using a pruning option available with the expert system.

The results of the study are encouraging and suggest that an expert system is able to generate a useful clinical screening device.

Further modification of the knowledge base is required to provide a broader range of case types, particularly those of less common occurrence. lt is also suggested that the random aggregation of cases is not the most effective means of developing a knowledge base.